The Sins of the Television

Okay, okay, so the television itself does not sin. Mine is just a black rectangular box that sits unused most days. That's right, unused. And many right there think that is a sin. Heck, there are days I think it's a sin. A sin to even have it mostly. Don't' get me wring, there are days that I think to myself, "I could turn on the TV and watch something." There's a movie even sitting by the television that I plugged in a few weeks back and promptly shut off. The movie itself isn't bad. I actually like it as I've seen it before and greatly enjoyed it. Neither the television or the DVD player were offense to me in the act of watching the opening scenes and then shutting it all down and promptly forgetting about it all.

It was just all so... In my way.

"In your way?" I hear people asking now. "Just move it to another wall." I know, that sounds like a simple solution but it is not that kind of in my way. You see, I was working on an intricate lace piece that is sadly to say still on the needles and I couldn't watch the action, follow the story line and keep track of my pattern at the same time. Yeah... That kind of in the way. Since then with the buying of the loom which is to large to even be in the same room, I have found even more reason to not sit in front of the television. AT ALL. That's right. The other day Bob was watching the news and I chose to not take the 45 minutes remaining of the news hour out of my busy day and stay in the room and catch up on world events. I chose to cook dinner and walk the dogs so later I could finish up this.

Which, with all that is happening across the globe, finishing up a scarf that is going to go to a friend for Christmas is much more rewarding and "safe" feeling than watching the news. Can you say "Syria"?

As I text a friend last night, I have no answers for the crisis over there now. I don't want to see our country step in and risk our young soldiers lives again in a foreign war. We our still mourning our losses from the last how many foreign wars? Korea, Vietnam, all the Middle East and Latin American conflicts. And so many of them caused because we felt we had vested interests because we can't keep our fingers out of the politics of other countries. Yet, because of our governmental meddling, I feel like we should offer aid to the people of the region. I can't decided on my own feelings regarding all this so I can't offer an idea of a right movement forward. Because I am so unwilling to spout the truth of my feelings, or willing to take what others say as the truth, I shall NEVER run for public office. No great loss to the world of "civil service" I know. I have no great ego to try to press forward and no that my way is not the best way. It's simply just that, my way.

And because I firmly have, "my way", I find the television proselytizing on how to vote, how to invest for my retirement, which erectile dysfunction medication I should use should I ever need one, or even which toothpaste and choice of fast food will make me a better American very irritating. And I find it a gigantic waste of time. Instead, I choose to knit. I opt to take the time I could be listening to others belch their ideas and fears at me to spin my own yarn while educating myself with a good book or form my own thoughts and fears. Instead of offering up my own numbers into the gallup polls of who watched what prime time shows in what areas of the country I opt to learn to weave my own fabrics while thinking my own way. And I realize that I will never get all the answers this way. I know this simple truth, but I don't want all the answers because I don't ever want to run for president. Heck, I don't even want to have kids to force my opinions down their throat.

But I want to learn. Learn to use my hands. To create something beautiful to my eye, and functional in performing a task such as keeping one warm.

And so far, I'm doing just that. I still don't have an answer for the Middle East, but if the zombie apocalypse happens and all civilizations crumbles, I know that someone will want to keep me alive so I can at least spin them up some wool, and weave or knit them something warm for the winter. Who regrets how they spent their evenings now?

Now that I'm off that little soapbox. Don't mock me, I had to work hard to come up with that soapbox! You know how hard it is to come up with an idea to blog about? I just have some fiber related stuff to share. I know... BORING. I have been working a lot lately. Between training on the new job and working the shifts at the restaurant and volunteering I've been lucky to get a day off a week. So even my fiber related funness is limited.

The first item is the linen and cotton woven scarf I finally got off the loom. It has a little mistake in it but it was only my second weaving project, and I decided to not stick with a safe tabby fabric I've done before. Rather I ran with a twill. The second and third pictures are some Merino and BAmboo blends 40/60% I have been spinning. I think they will be destined for the loom as well. Another Christmas present. Their colors have been making me think of someone so I think that is where they will go.

Then there's the dogs. Shiela is just so old but yet can sleep in the oddest positions.

Dogs... My neck hurts just looking at her. She sleeps a lot lately. She chose not to go on this afternoons walk with the boys and I to the river. It's still miserable hot here so I'm not surprised. It will probably hit 90 and never dropped below 60 last night. If I get home from the dinner shift early and go on a later evening walk she may opt to come. I know she went with Bob and the boys on the early morning one when I was still entertaining thoughts of sleeping in. Needless to say, I didn't. I got up and finished the bobbin of yellows and purples.

I also got this done a bit ago.

It's my Manido Aki fiber form Huckleberry Knits. I am rather proud of it because it's the first time I have ever gotten a 3 ply 400yard yarn out of just 4 oz. Slowly but surely I'm getting better at this thing called spinning.

I noticed today that with the hot weather and sun still, the cottonwoods are losing their leaves yet the new trees are taking advantage of the late energy burst to throw in a few more inches of growth.

Well, I have some things to get done before going to work so I better get to it. Hope you all have a great weekend.